This invention relates to an accessory container for a ladder, and more particularly to an accessory container for a ladder that is designed to be mounted over the top platform of a step ladder.
Stepladders are quite useful when a worker needs to reach a location above the ground or floor level for performing construction and maintenance chores, both on a work site and in the home. It is often desirable while the worker is on the stepladder for the worker to have access to tools, parts and work supplies that are needed during the performance his duties or chores.
Many devices have been invented over the years that attach to a stepladder to hold the tools, parts and work supplies so that they are easily accessible to the worker while he is standing on or otherwise using the stepladder.
Many of these devices attach directly by articulated arms or fingers to one or more of the rungs of the stepladder. The devices which attach to the rungs of a stepladder usually require the worker to be careful when ascending or descending the stepladder to avoid knocking the device off the rungs of the ladder. These devices also generally require some type of clamp or connection device to secure the arms to the rungs of the stepladder. Typical of these types of devices is the ladder caddy shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,810 to Hall.
These types of connection devices can be quite complicated because stepladders come in two basic varieties: steps that have rounded rungs and steps that have flat rungs. The devices must be designed to work on either round or flat rungs, otherwise the market for the device is limited.
Devices have also been invented that attach to the flat top platform of a step ladder. Typical of these prior art devices is the basket shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,133 to Ruggieri and the paint can holder shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,285,557 to Reda. Each of these devices use a clamping member that hooks or loops over the top platform of the stepladder. Each of these devices uses the folding platform that is provided on many stepladders as the bottom weight support for any tools, equipment or work supplies that are placed in the device.
The Hall patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,810, also discloses an alternate version of his device that attaches to the top platform of a stepladder. The supplies compartment of the Hall device rests against the back legs of the stepladder and a clamp member hooks over the top platform of the stepladder and is secured thereto by means of a retaining lip that loops underneath the top platform. The position of the retaining lip is adjustable by means of a wing nut fastener that allows the effective length of the retaining lip to be changed to fit various sizes of stepladders.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an accessory container suitable for use with a stepladder which attaches to the stepladder over the top platform of the stepladder and which provides strength and stability regardless of the weight of the work supplies that are placed in the container.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an accessory container that is easy to install over the top platform of a stepladder and that is capable of holding large quantities of tools, equipment and work supplies.
It is a feature of the present invention that the accessory container includes a forward compartment defined by a front wall, a back interior wall, a bottom wall and right and left side walls but with an open top so that tools, equipment and work supplies can be placed in the forward compartment. The accessory container also has a rearward compartment having an open bottom and defined by a top plate, the back interior wall and side wall extensions of the right and left side walls so that the rearward compartment can encompass the top platform of a stepladder. The rearward compartment is preferably formed integrally with the forward compartment. The back interior wall of the accessory container rests against the back legs of the stepladder to give the accessory container structural strength and stability.
It is a further feature of the present invention that the rearward compartment includes a rear overlapping lip that hooks over the top platform of the stepladder. When weight is placed in the forward compartment, the weight is transferred into the rear legs of the stepladder and into the top corner of the stepladder top platform. This weight transfer causes the accessory container to securely grip the stepladder and holds the accessory container firmly in place on top of the stepladder.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the accessory container easily adapts to most stepladders without the necessity of using clamping or connection devices. The accessory container is mounted to encompass the top platform of the stepladder and the weight of the items placed in the forward compartment of the accessory container urges the container against the back legs of the stepladder and against the top corner of the stepladder top platform to hold the accessory container in place during use.